LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – On March 1st, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States saying in the document, “A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.”
Trump’s order aligned with 31 states that had already declared English their official language through laws or amendments. While the federal move, which many have wanted for a long time, gained traction and achieved presidential backing, Michigan remains an outlier, never having passed legislation to make English its official state language.
Officially unofficial.
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Michigan operates with English as its de facto language – used in government, courts, and schools – but lacks a legal declaration. In 2017, then-State Representative Tom Barrett, now a U.S. Congressman, introduced HB 4053 to change that. The bill, passed by the Michigan House on February 22, 2018, with a 62-46 vote, designated English as the “official language” for public records and meetings. It included provisions allowing other languages for safety, education, or cultural purposes, balancing practicality with inclusivity. This was during a time in which Republican Governor Rick Snyder was in charge of the state, and most thought the legislation would easily pass through the senate.
Senate snooze kills the dream.
However, HB 4053 stalled in the Michigan Senate. After the Judiciary Committee approved it, the bill moved on to the entire senate for further consideration and debate but never advanced to a vote. Reports suggest it lost momentum, possibly due to shifting priorities or lack of support.
Critics at the time, including Nancy Kaffer of the Detroit Free Press, argued it addressed a non-issue, given English’s dominance. Michigan’s diverse history – French settlers, Finnish immigrants, and modern multilingual communities – may have also dampened enthusiasm, as noted by Public Seminar, a journal of ideas, politics, and culture.
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As of 2025, Michigan shows no signs of revisiting the issue even with a Republican House majority. Wikipedia’s list of official state languages still marks it as undeclared, and no recent legislative efforts have emerged.
Trump’s executive order, while binding federally, doesn’t compel state action – Michigan can continue its status quo. The state’s reluctance isn’t unique; 19 other states also lack an official language, but Michigan’s 2018 failure highlights a specific resistance. Some saw the bill as redundant, others as exclusionary, and the Senate’s inaction sealed its fate.
English reigns, no crown required.
Today, Michigan functions seamlessly in English without the label. Trump’s order may unify federal policy, but in Lansing, the absence of a state law reflects a practical, if unspoken, preference: English rules by default, not decree. Whether due to legislative inertia or a quiet nod to diversity, Michigan remains unfazed by the national shift.
